Veteran batter AB de Villiers revealed that he once told Virat Kohli to soften his emotions for an IPL season and shared that the RCB star decided not to listen to him as well. However, Kohli is known for being intense on the field, and he isn’t someone who hides his true emotions on the field as well.

Ahead of the IPL 2025 final, AB de Villiers said, “We have had this conversation many times before. Why don’t you try for a season and just get the emotion out of it, just to sort of relax a bit, ok? And I’ve told him before, and he said, it’s not a bad idea, but it seems not to have worked out.”

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He also feels that being aggressive and emotional is natural for Kohli and one of his biggest strengths. He also said that Kohli has reached where he is because he wears his heart on his sleeve as well. However, RCB will play the IPL 2025 final on June 3 as well.

“He doesn’t listen to me. So the thing is, I think it’s a natural thing for him. He can’t help but show that he cares and that’s where it comes from. So, at the end of the day, it is one of his strengths. He’s come to where he is in his career and in his life because of the person that he is, the fact that he wears his heart on his sleeve. I think I would like to see him as a more calm and composed player out there and I did speak to him about it, and I guess I was wrong,” AB de Villiers concluded.